Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Newport News, VA
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 Tampa leads 14 of 23 categories
Newport News
Virginia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,355
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
185,118
Tampa
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,802 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
388,768 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $100k less ($233,400 vs $333,200)
Rent averages $213/mo less ($1,209 vs $1,422)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Tampa
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Tampa by $3,447/yr
Tampa, FL
Pros
40% less violent crime than Newport News
More college-educated — 43.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 49°F
Households earn $3,447 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $333,200
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,422/mo
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Newport News
Key Differences at a Glance
Newport News
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$100k less
$233,400 vs $333,200
Tampa
Median Income
$3,447
$66,802 vs $63,355/yr
Tampa
Violent Crime
40% lower
444.6 vs 736.0 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Newport News, VA | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $233,400 ✓ Lower | $333,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,209 ✓ Lower | $1,422⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,355 | $66,802 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter | 24.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.5% | 16.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 162⚠ High | 98 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.7% | 43.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% ✓ Higher | 89.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Newport News City Public Schools | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.3" | 49.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 185,118 | 388,768 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.1 | 35.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.6% | 50.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.2% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 13.4% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Newport News's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Tampa leads 14 of 23 categories. Newport News wins 9 and Tampa wins 14. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Newport News to Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($233,400 vs $333,200 median home), income ($63,355 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Newport News, VA and Tampa, FL are about 718 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.